Offset for sawmill-carriages.



No. 686,392. Patented Nov. 12, 190|.

f A. CUNNINGHAM. OFFSET `FDF? SAWMILL CARRIAGES.

(Application filed Oct. 1, 1897.)

@No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 686,392. lPatencedNov. l2, |90I.

A. CUNNINGHAM.

OFFSET FOR SAWMIKLL CARRIGS.

(Application med oct. 1', 1897.) (No Mpdel.) 3 Sheetsn-Shee 2.

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ll I" A 4 ITI z I gwn/04ML @LW/bling@ No. 686,392. Patented Nov. I2, I9IJI.A

' A. CUNNINGHAM.v

OFFSET FusAwullLr.v cAnmAGEs.

` (Application Bled. Oct. 1, 1897.)

(Nn Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT CUNNINGHAM, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THE FILER & STOWELL COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS- CONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

.OFFSETv FOR "SAWM ILL-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICAT- ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,392, dated November 12, 1901.

Application led October 1, 1897. Serial No. 653,677. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT CUNNINGHAM, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Offsets for Sawmill-Carriages; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,k and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse ihe'sa'me, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

\ the-mechanism for effectingthe foregoing movements of the carriage-frame and log or timber supported thereon, as hereinafter particularly'described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a broken plan view of a sawmillcarriage to which my improved offsetting mechanism is applied. Fig. 2 is a `vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, cutting one of the offsetting devices lengthwise on the line 3 3, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of a portion of the carriage and one of the offsetting devices. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, on a still larger scale,of a portion of one of the offsetting devices, showing in connection therewith a locking device for preventing the offsetting of the carriage-frame. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan View ofthe upper part or seotion of one of the cam-boxes. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the other part or section of said box and of the spirally-winged cam. Fig. S

is a sectional View of the cam and cam-box on the line 8 8, Fig. 5; and Figs. 9, 10, and

1l are sections on the lines 9 9, l0 10, and l1 11, respectively, of Fig. 4. A

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, A A designate the wheels, and B B the axles, constituting the trucks of a sawmill-carriage. C is the log-frame, mounted upon said trucks and capable of a limited lateral movement thereon lengthwise of the truck-axles and transversely to the plane of the'saw D. (Shown in Fig. l.)

E E are the track-rails, upon which the .truck-wheels A A run and are guided, the

truck-wheels on the back side of the carriage being grooved to engage with the rail in the usual way for the purpose of guiding the carriage on the track.

F F are sleeves or spools loosely mounted upon truck-axles B at each end of the carr'iage. They are formed at one end, as shown in Fig. 3,with circumferential ribs and grooves and at the other with spiral cam-wings ffon opposite sides `of the sleeve and each extending around about one-quarter of its circumference. G G are friction thrust-boxes, grooved and ribbed inside to it and engage with the ribs and grooves on said sleeves, upon which they are mounted, as shown in Fig. 3, and connected with the front side timber of the carriage, by links H H, which are pivoted at their ends by horizontal pins h h to extensions g on the upper parts of said boxes and to brackets, which may be cast integrally with axle-boxes. These link connections permit the boxes G to move ver` tically with reference to the carriage-frame C and to adapt themselves to the truck-axles B without binding-thereon. The extensions g, projecting between and bearing against the inner faces of said links, as shown in Fig. 4, prevent the turning of said boxes and the twisting of the links by the turning of the sleeves F in either direction. At the same time the links hold the boxes firmly against endwise movement with reference to the carriage-frame C upon the axles B. To further support said boxes against turning with the sleeves, they may be connected with the end or cross timbers of the frame by braces I.

Each of the boxes G is made in two parts or sections, which are connected on opposite sides by bolts g' and g2, as shown most clearly in Fig. l0. The bolt g2 is made of sufficient length to receive between a nut and washer on its upper end and the upper part or section of the box a spiral spring g3, by means of which the box -sections are yieldingly clamped upon the ribbed and grooved portion of a sleeve' F. On the opposite side from the bolt g2 the box sections are adjusted and held apart by ascrew g4, which serves as a pivot or fulcrum for their yielding movement upon the bolt g2. The frictional engagement of the 'box-sections with the sleeve or spool may be increased or diminished by turning the screw g4 out or in and tightening or slackening the nuts on the bolts g and g2. The box-sections are lined with Babbitt metal, and to prevent wear and unnecessaryv friction between them and the sleeves when the latter are turned with the axles their upper sections are formed with oil-cups g5 and their lower sections with cavities gf, which are supplied with oil through elbow-shaped tubes or pipes 97.

J J are cam-boxes, also made in parts or sections,which are formed with spiral grooves to iit and engage with the spiral cam-wings ff upon which they are loosely mounted, being clamped fast to the axles B by bolts j j. The bolt-holes in one part or section of each box are elongated or enlarged to permit slipping one part of the box lengthwise upon the other to take up play and wear between them and the working faces of the cam-wings ff, and one part or section is provided with adjusting-screwsj, tapped or set therein parallel with the axis of the box and adapted to bear at their heads against abutments l7'2 on the other part or section, as shown in Figs. 2, 6, 7, and 9.

In practice it is sometimes necessary or desirable to run the carriage back before the saw has finished a cut, and to accomplish this it is necessary to prevent the osetting of the carriage-frame and the log or timber when the movement of the carriage is reversed. For this purpose each of the camboxes J is provided with a bolt K, movable longitudinally therein into engagement with the associated cam or sleeve F, as shown in Fig. 5. It is held normally out of engagement with said sleeve, as shown in Fig. 3, by a spring k. To operate these bolts simultaneously, the carriage is provided with arockshaft L, arranged lengthwise thereof and having bearings in collars M, loosely mounted upon the axles B, next to the rear ends of the 'f' boxes J. The shaft L is provided with a 3 hand-lever Z for turning it and with short depending arms Z, which are pivoted to brackets Z2, attached to the rear side timber of the carriage-frame O. By throwing the leverarm Z back when the carriage is advancing or the frame C is in its normal position on the carriage-trucks the collars M will be moved forward on the axles B against the projecting ends of the bolts K, which are thrust thereby into engagement with sockets in the rear ends of the sleeves F, as shown in Fig. 5. While the bolts are held in this position, the sleeves F are locked with the boxes J and compelled to turn with the axles B, thus preventing the carriage-frame from osetting.

My improved offsetting mechanism operates as follows: When the carriage is started forward in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the frame C being oifset or at the extreme limit of its movement away from the saw, the cam-boxes J, which always turn with the axles, turning in engagement with the spiral cam-wings f of the sleeves F, which are temporarily held from rotating by the frictional engagement therewith of the thrustboxes G, will shift said sleeves, thrust-boxes, and the carriage-frame C, connected therewith by the links H, forward toward the saw into the position shown in Fig. 1. When the adjoining faces of the parts or sections of boxes J engage the ends of the wings f, the sleeves F will be turned with said boxes in the thrust-boxes G, holding the frame C in its forward or sawing position as long as the carriage advances. When this movementis reversed after the saw has finished a cut, the

boxes J will be turned in the reverse direction upon the cams, which are held from rotation by the boxes G, as above explained, until the opposite ends of the cam-wings fare engaged by the opposite ends of the grooves in said boxes J, whereupon the sleeves F and boxes J will turn with the axles B. The frame C is thus shifted away from the saw or offset and held in its offset position until the movement of the carriage is again reversed.

The boxes G and J, inclosing the greater -portion of the sleeves F, are made to contain oil or other lubricant and to exclude dirt, thereby protecting the working faces of the offsetting devices, preventing wear, and insuring the proper operation of the offsetting mechanism.

Various changes in minor details of construction may be made without departing from my invention-as, for instance, instead of ribs and wings on the sleeves F grooves may be formed therein to receive corresponding ribs and wings or projections formed in the boxes G and J, respectively. The braces I may be altogether dispensed with, and the friction thrust-boxes G may be attached to the rear beam of the carrage-frame and take the place of the rear axle-boxes. I claim-m l. The combination with the truck wheels and axles of a sawmill-carriage and the frame movable thereon transversely to the plane of the saw,of a sleeve loosely mounted on a trucki axle and provided with a spirally formed f cam, a friction thrust-box mounted upon said :sleeve and connected with the frame, and a cam-box fixed upon said axle in engagement with said cam, said thrust and cam boxes in- IOO closing the greater portion of said sleeve and protecting the working faces of the offsetting mechanism, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

2. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable thereon transversely to the saw plane, of a sleeve loosely mounted upon a truck-axle and provided with a cam, a friction thrust-box mounted upon said sleeve and held from turning and moving endwise, but allowed to move vertically with respect to said frame bya connection with said frame, and a cam-box fixed on said axle in engagement with said cam, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable transversely thereon, of a sleeve loosely mounted on a truck-axle and provided with a cam,a friction thrust-box mounted upon said sleeve and connected with said frame by links which are pivoted thereto and to said box and arranged lengthwise of the axle, and a cam-box fixed upon said axle in engagement with said cam, substantially as and for the purposes set'forth.

4. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable transversely thereon, of a sleeve loosely mounted upon a truck-axle andV provided with a cam a friction thrust-box mounted upon said sleeve and connected with a side of the frame by parallel links which are pivoted thereto and to'said box, and are arranged lengthwise of the axle, said box having an extension between said links for holding it from twisting, and in alinement with the axle, and a cam-box fixed upon said axle in engagement with said cam, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable transversely thereon, of a sleeve loosely mounted upon said axle, a friction thrust-box mounted upon'said sleeve and connected with the frame, and a cam-box made in two parts which are clamped fast upon said axle and loosely inclose a portion of said sleeve, said cam-box and sleeve being formed one with a spiral groove and the other with a wing or projection engaging with said groove, one of the parts of said cam-box being adjustable lengthwise upon the other to take up play between the engaging faces of said groove and projection, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck axles and wheels and the frame movable transversely thereon, of a sleeve loosely mounted upon a truck-axle and provided with a spirally-formed cam, a friction thrust-box mounted upon said sleeve and connected with said frame, a cam-box made in two parts which are bolted together fast upon the axle and over and in engagement with said cam, the bolt-holes in one part being enlarged to permit its longitudinal adjustment on the other part, and one or more adjustingscrews threaded in one part lengthwise thereof and bearing against the other part, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable transversely thereon, of a sleeve loosely mounted on a truckaxle and provided with a cam consisting of spirally-formed peripheral wings, an offsetting connection between said sleeve and frame, and a cam-box composed of two parts clamped fast upon said axle and each formed with a spiral groove terminating at the meeting face of the other part which serves as a stop for the cam, the wings of the cam being shorter than the grooves in which they work, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable transversely thereon, of sleeves mounted loosely upon truck-axles, friction thrust-boxes mounted upon said sleeves and having jointed connections with the frame, said sleeves and boxes being formed with engaging ribs and grooves to prevent endwise movement of one within the other, and camboxes fixed upon said axles and inclosing portions of said sleeves in en gage-ment with spiral cam formations thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles'and the frame movable thereon lengthwise of the axles, of sleeves loosely mounted on truck-axles and provided with spirally-formed cams, friction thrust-boxes mounted upon said sleeves and adjustably connected with said frame, so as to be freely movable vertically with relation thereto, each of said boxes consisting of sections which are adj ustably connectedfor varying their frictional engagement with said sleeves, and cam-boxes fixed on said axles in engagement with said cams, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a sawmill-carriage the combination with the truck wheels and axles and the frame movable thereon lengthwise of the axles, of sleeves loosely mounted on truck-axles and provided with spirally-formed cams, friction thrust-boxes mounted upon said sleeves and adjustably connected with said frame, so as to be freely movable vertically with relation thereto, each of said boxes consisting of sections which are yieldingly connected,and camboxes fixed on said axles in engagement with said cams, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing'as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

CEAS, L. Goss, M. L. EMERY.

IOO

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